Lifting structure for shipping container



Jan; 12, 1960 W. M. SHEEHAN LIFTING STRUCTURE FOR SHIPPING CONTAINERFiled March 24, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTQR.

Jan. 12, 1960 w. M. SHEEHAN LIFTING STRUCTURE FOR SHIPPING CONTAINER 4Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 24, 1955 INVEN TOR.

Jan. 12, 1960 w. M. SHEEHAN Y LIFTING STRUCTURE FOR SHIPPING CONTAINERFiled March 24, '1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Jan. 12, 1960 1 w. M. SHEEHAN2,920,917

LIFTING STRUCTURE FOR SHIPPING CONTAINER Filed March 24, 1955 4Sheets-Sheet 4 IN V EN TOR.

M BY

back service in connection 'with railway cars.

,Uniwd Stews t n 1 g A pumfion March .24, 1955, Serial No. 496,422

' l 9Claims. c1. 294 s1) .s

The invention relates to a crane which may be mounted on wheels orendless tracks or may be of a gantry type of crane such as is found inrailway andindustrial plant yards. Itis also adaptable to types ofcranes found at water-sidedocks. The invention relates more particularlyto hoisting lines and associated parts carried by the (:ra'ne. Theinvention is particularly adapted for, but not necessarily used in,transferring to and from railway cars merchandise containerscorresponding in width and depth to a railway gondola car or house car.These containers may be of various lengths and of box-like structurewith fiat or skid bottoms or may be wheeled and may consist of highwaytractor semi-trailers or the like now being generally used in so-calledpiggyq These semi-trailers could have single or plural axles. The comnecting frame and depending elements are equally adaptable for vehicleswith three or more wheeled axles.

-The objects of the invention are to facilitate application and releaseof the lifting structure to the container, to avoid damage to thecontainer because of the support of the same at points during thetransfer different from those used before and after the transfer, toprotect the container from damage by contact with other objects duringthe transfer operation, and to'maintain the container in substantiallylevel position during the transfer. The lifting structure of the varioustypes shown is intended to be applicable to differing lengths ofcontainers and wheel arrangements therefor. Many semi-trailers are builtwith single axles, a considerable number with dual axles and some arebuilt with three and possibly more aides to accommodate container loadsheavier than suitable for-a lesser number of axles. Where a semi-trailerwith a single axle islifted, the axle can be engaged by any ofthedepending elements'and thus allow greater flexibilityof application andutilization.

These and other detail objects as will appear from the description beloware attained bythe'structures shown in the accompanying drawings inwhich Figure 1 is a side elevation of a" crane and its boom and otherlifting structure and shows in end elevation a railway car and high waytrailer being loaded thereon. The crane is shown mounted on endlesstracks but isequally adaptableto mountingion wheels.

Figure2 is-a side'elevation of one type of crane lifting structureandhighway trailer and railway car shown in Figu e Figure 3 is a planview of the. crane.

Figure 3a is a perspectivev of the lifting structure.

.Figure 4 is an elevation corresponding to Figure 2 but showing anotherform of the invention with upper and lowerfstructures differingfromthose shown in Figure 2.

Figu'reS is a vcrtical transverse section taken on line 5-5 ofFigure 4.

, Figure 6 is "a vertical transversesection taken on line Figure 7 is aside elevation of another form of lift frame applied to a simpler formof box container.

Patented Jan. 12, 1960 taken on the line 8-8 of Figure 7.

t Figure 9 is a horizontal section taken on the line 9-9 of Figure 7.Figure 10 is a detail vertical transverse section taken on the line10-10 of Figure 7.

The crane of Figures 13- includes traction wheels or treads 1, aplatform 2, a swiveling cab 3 mounting motors (not shown) which operatedrums 4 and 5.

A boom 6 is pivoted to the crane body at 7 and is raised and lowered bya cable 8 taken up and payed out by rotation of drums 4. Hoisting lines9 and 10 are individually secured to drums 5 and each passes over anindividual series of boom sheaves 11, and pulley sheaves 12 journaled ona beam 13 formed by a pair of channels .placed back to back. Sheaves 12for the two pulleys are spaced apart a substantial distance lengthwiseof beam 13 and hooks 14 depend from beam 13 and are spaced apart agreater distance than the spaced groups of pulley sheaves 12. Thisspacing is intended to maintain the container in substantially levelposition while in suspenends fromeach end of beam 15, the pivots beingaxially sion during the transfer.

'Another beam 15, substantially longer than beam 13, is suspended byeyes 16 from hooks 14.

Pairs of links 17 are pivotally. suspended at their upper cooperate withthe jaw. pivotal supports 21 to hold the jaws about as shown inFigure 1. When the weight of the jaws is on pivots 21 the lower ends ofthe jaws tend to move towards each other on the ice-tong principle butsuch movement may be limited by the article gripped by them or byhorizontal link 18. When pivots 21 are relieved of the weight of thejaws the latter tend to spread as indicated in broken lines in Figure 1.Such spreading is positively effected when the boom is lowered or thehoisting line slackened so that the container B supported by the jawsrests upon a truck, car, or platform.

Spacers 20 are near the opposite ends of beam 15 and connected by sidemembers 22 and by spaced central members 23 forming a rigid horizontalframe. A motor 24 is mounted on members 23 and has a drum to which aresecuredcables 25 running over sheaves 26, journaled on beam 15, andattached to members 23 to support frame 20, 22, 23. When the motor isrotated to wind up cables 25, jaws 1'9 swing on their pivots 27 onspacers 20 to assume the broken line position shown in Figure 1. In thisposition the jaws may be lowered to or raised from a position in whichthey straddle the trailer body B. Then motor 24 is rotated to releasecables 25 and upon take-up of lines 9 and 10 by drums 4, 5 the containerwill be lifted and may be swung to desired position by the crane boom.

Preferably the lower ends of jaws 19 at the same side of beam 15 areconnected by an angle bar 28 disposed to engage the lower corner of thetrailer body and when the jaws and angle irons are applied to the bodythey may be shifted longitudinally of the body to the position assumedto afford the best balance of the load on the crane. Horizontal andvertical faces of angle bars 28 are provided with a packing material 28ato protect the trailer body.

Preferably beam 15 exceeds one half the length of the longest trailerexpected to be handled by the crane and the lengths ,of beams 13 and, 15and bars 28 contribute 3 v to the stability of the assembly and its loadwhen suspended from the boom.

The trailer may be lifted from the ground and swung over and loweredonto a railway car R without the likelihood of damage to the trailer andwithout .tilting the trailer lengthwise so as to displaceits contents.

Figures 4, 5, and 6 illustrate an arrangement in which the parts of thecrane not shown maybe the same as those previously described but thebeam 30 is .suspended by lines 31, pulleys 32, andhooks 33 and eyes 34positioned nearer to its left-hand end than to its righthand end and thetrailer engaging jaws 35 at each side of beam 30 are connected by anopen frame 36 ofwhich the jaws form a part. The frame maybe fabricatedor a oneplece castlng.

The left-hand end of frame 36 has depending legs 37 spaced apart tocorrespond approximately to the spacing of the double axles on thetrailer T. Hook members .38 have upwardly extending "bifurcationsreceiving legs '37 between them and pivoted thereto at 39 to swinglengthwise of the frame or transversely of the swinging movement of jaws35 on their supporting pivots. Each hook has an inturned lower end witha convex top face 40 shaped to fit the underside of the upper portion ofa trailer main wheel rim. Face 40 may be lined with a packing material40a to protect the wheel rim. Pivots 39 permit hook ends 40 to adjustlengthwise of the frame to accommodate the spacing of the .trailer mainwheels. Either of the hooks may be used to engagethe wheel rim of asingle axle trailer thus providing for a considerable range of containerlengths. The other end of each frame 36 has an integral wide flat hookmember 42 shaped to underlie the forward portion of the trailer sidesill and also provided with a liner 43 .to protect the trailer body.

As hooks 38 and 42 are disposed respectively to engage the trailer bodybelow heavy and relatively light portions it is desirable to balance theload of beam .30 by suspending it nearer to one end than to the other asshown in Figure 4. The trailer engaging .jaws and their connectingframes 36 are suspended from beam 30 by links 44 and are pivoted onspacers 45 correspondmg to spacers 20 and are swung on their pivots bylines 46 running from hook anchor clips 47 over sheaves 48 on beam 30 tosheaves on the end of the boom and to a drum on the crane cab (notshown). The interengagement of links 44 limit the movement of the jawstoward each other.

The opening movement of the jaws is limited by stops 49 between the pairof channels forming each spacer 45, the swinging jaw contacting the stopif it exceeds the movement indicated in Figure 6. Similar stops could beused for limiting the movement of jaws 19 in the structure describedabove.

Figures 8-10 show a jaw and frame arrangement slmilar to that of Figures5-7 but adapted particularly for shifting box-like container C to andfrom railway cars, trailers, trucks, barges, etc. Each jaw .60 is partof a frame structure 61 and is suspended as previously described andincludes rigid hook members 62 at intervals along its lower edge adaptedto be inserted between skids on the container. The open frame diagonalsand struts transfer the load directly to the upper ends of the jaws 60and their supporting links 63.

Each of the arrangements embodies an efficient hoisting and transferdevice whereby large merchandise containers, and particularly highwaytractor trailers, may be transferred to and from railway cars forpiggy-'bac rail transportation. 3

To effectively guide and control the positioning of the connecting frameof any of the types shown during, prior to, or after the transferoperation, removable guiding handles may be attached to various pointson the frame for protecting both the container and associated personnel,similar to the guiding handles 'used a I 4 v for accurately positioninglarge ladles in foundries when filled with molten metal.

The details of the structure may be varied substantially from what isshown without departing from the spirit of the invention and thespecified use of those modifications coming within the scope of theclaims is contemplated.

What is c'laimed is:

1. In a lifting crane grapple, a rigid horizontal elongated frame, apair of links disposed side by side at each end of said frame andpivotally suspended therefrom to swing transversely of the frame,individual jaws pivotally suspended from the lower ends of said links,the jaws at each end of the frame "crossingeach other transversely ofthe frame and extending downwardly therefrom, a rigid spacer extendingbetween adjacent crossed jaws below their crossing and pivotallyconnected thereto, hoisting apparatus connected .to said spacers, saidlinks contacting each other transversely of the frame when the dependingportions of said jaws are substantially. vertical .in load-supportingposition and limiting the approach of said jaws toward each other,the'lower portions of said links swinging away from each other when thelower ends of the said jaws engage a supporting surface and the jaws areraised bysaid apparatus.

2. In a lifting crane grapple, an elongated'bearnhaving longitudinallyspaced supports, an elongated frame paralleling the beam and pivotallysuspended from the ends of the beam to swing transversely of thebeam andhaving lateral jaws at its lower end spaced apart length wise of theframe and adjacent one end thereof with unimpeded clearance betweenthem, for insertion beneath spaced wheel elements of a highway trailer,said jaws being pivotally mounted on the frame and freely swingingrelative to each other lengthwise of the frame to readily fit beneathvariably spaced highway trailer wheel elements, jaw structure'adjacentthe other end of the frame and spaced lengthwise of the frame from thefirst mentioned wheel-engaging jaws and having lateral projections at asubstantially higherlevel than said first mentioned wheelengaging jawsand adapted to support the underframe of a-highway trailer body, saidbeam supports being substantially closer to the first mentionedwheel-engaging jaws than they are .to said underframeengaging jawprojections.

3. In a lifting crane grapple, a beam having longitudinally spacedsupports, a pair of jaws pivotally suspended from said beam to swingtransversely of the beam and members pivotally carried by the lower endof each jaw to swing toward and away-from each other lengthwise of thebeam and having upwardly facing convex elements arcuate lengthwise ofthe beam and spaced apart lengthwise of the beam with clearance betweenthem and being adapted to engage the downwardly facing concave innerperipheries of the upper sectors of successive vehicle wheels to engageandsupport the vehicle wheels irrespective of variations in the spacingof the vehicle wheels from each other.

4. A lifting crane grapple adapted for lifting highway tractor-trailers,comprising an elongated horizontal rigid beam having supportssubstantially spaced apart lengthwise of the beam, an upright rigidframe extending lengthwise of said beam at each sidethereof' and hav-'ing fixedly spaced pivot supports near opposite ends of the beam forswinging of the frame transversely of the beam but not lengthwise of thebeam, said frames being spaced apart transversely of said beam, eachframe terminating adjacent theends of its lower portion in inturnedhooks positioned at different levels whereby they are adapted tounderlie trailer wheel and body portions respectively near the oppositeends of the trailer.

5. In a lifting crane grapple, a beam having a pair of supports spacedapart lengthwise of the beam, a pair of jaws spaced apart transverselyof said beam and piv:

otally suspended therefrom, each jaw being rigid and elongatedlengthwise of said beam, the upper portion of said jaws crossing eachother and being pivotally connected intermediate their ends so thatlifting of the beam moves the lower portions of the jaws toward eachother,

and load-engaging elements pivoted to the lower portion of each jaw nearopposite ends thereof, at least one of said elements swinging lengthwiseof the jaw and beam in a direction transversely of the direction ofpivotal movement of the jaw and being thereby adapted to underlie anelongated load part at different points along the length of the latter.

6. In a lifting crane grapple, an elongated horizontal support member,jaws at opposite sides of said member and pivotally supported therefromadjacent the opposite ends of said member, the upper portions of saidjaws crossing each other transversely of the length of said supportmember, a rigid spacer frame extending between opposite jaws andpivotally connected thereto below their crossing, a drum mounted on saidspacer frame, a' cable secured at one end to said drum and at its otherend to one end portion of said spacer frame, a separate cable similarlysecured at its ends to the drum and to the other end portion of thespacer frame, said cables passing over individual sheaves journaled onsaid support member and substantially spaced apart lengthwise of saidsupport member, said cables supporting said spacer frame from saidsheaves and thereby controlling the pivotal action of said jaws, andmeans actuating said drum and controlled from a point remote therefrom.

7. In a lifting crane grapple, a support member, a pair of jawspivotally suspended at their upper ends from said member and havingcrossed upper portions and spaced apart lower hook portions movablehorizontally relative to each other, and a strut-like member extendingbetween and having connections to the upper portions of said jaws belowtheir crossing and facing downwardly between the crossed portions of thejaws to engage the top face of a merchandise container between them, andsupported by said hook portions when the grapple is functioning, whenthe container is resting on a support other than the grapple and thrustsupwardly on the engaged strut-like member and thereby moves opposite jawhook portions away from each other.

8. In a lifting crane grapple, a rigid horizontal elongated frame, apair of links disposed side by side at each end of said frame andpivotally suspended therefrom to swing transversely of the frame,individual jaws pivotally suspended from the lower ends of said links,the jaws at each end of the frame crossing each other transversely ofthe frame and extending downwardly therefrom, a rigid spacer extendingbetween adjacent crossed jaws below their crossing and pivotallyconnected thereto, hoisting apparatus connected to said spacers, andmeans between said spacers and the pivotal supports for the linkspositively limiting the pivotal movement of said jaws toward each other.

9. In a lifting crane grapple, an elongated beam having longitudinallyspaced supports, an elongated frame paralleling the beam and pivotallysuspended from the ends of the beam to swing transversely of the beamand having jaw structures adjacent each end of the frame and spacedapart lengthwise of the frame, one of said jaw structures being arrangedto engage the underside of a highway trailer body frame and the otherjaw structure being at a lower level and arranged to engage theunderside of the upper portion of a highway trailer wheel rim, said beamsupports being substantially closer to the latter mentioned jawstructures lengthwise of the beam than they are to the first mentionedjaw structures.

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